Multiple vacuum plunger



FATENT OFFECE MULTIPLE VACUUM PLUNGER James M. Hinkle and Duane Owens, Barbourville, Ky.

Application October 8, 1935, Serial No. 44,118

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a multiple vacuum plunger for cleaning drain pipes.

The primary object of the present invention is to devise a flexible plunger body that has one 5 or more auxiliary chambers of variable capacity in communication with the interior of the dome whereby greater pressure is produced in the drain pipes when the pumping action is produced by moving the handle up and down.

10 Further objects of the invention are to provide a device 'of the character referred to that is strong, compact and durable, thoroughly reliable for its intended purpose, very eificient in operation 7 and easy to manipulate, and that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is disclosed an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the claims hereunto ap- 25 pended.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention with the handle removed.

Figure 2 is a detailed vertical section thereof with the handle attached thereto.

Referring to the drawing in detail A indicates 35 the body of the plunger which body is in the shape of a dome. The hollow interior or main chamber of the dome is indicated at 3 and this main chamber is open as at 4 at the base of the dome. The spherical walls 5 of the dome are 40 formed with a lip or flange 6 at the bottom which extends around the opening 4 and makes a tight fit about the drain opening (not shown) when pumping action on the drain is produced by the plunger.

45 At a point below the zenith of the dome the spherical side wall 5 is formed with a continuous, laterally projecting fold indicated generally at l and between the walls 10!. and lb of the fold is an auxiliary. chamber 8 in the upper portion of 50 the dome which varies in capacity during the pumping action. While the invention is illustrated in connection with only one fold, one or more folds may be used. Near the zenith of the dome A there is a passage 9 which forms a communica- 55 tion between the auxiliary chamber 8 and the main chamber 3 of the dome. The passage 9 is formed where the lower wall lb of the fold merges with the walls of the dome and provides a restricted opening between the auxiliary chamber 8 and the main chamber 3 of the dome. It is necessary to provide a means on the top of the body to receive a handle and for this purpose there is an integral socket in formed on the zenith of the dome which opens upwardly. The handle I! has the lower end thereof connected with the 10 body A and is fixed in the socket ill. The lower portion of the socket merges with the upper wall la the fold. The fold in the walls of the dome forms a sigmoidal contour in the walls of the dome between the zenith and the open base.

The plunger body or dome A including the socket in, the fold 1 and the side wall 5 are formed integral and the entire body is made of flexible material such as rubber. The walls of the dome A and the fold l therein have sufiicient 2Q rigidity to be self-supporting in the original shape which is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing. When the dome is placed about the opening in the drain to be cleaned by this plunger the handle H is first pressed downwardly which compresses the walls of the fold and exhausts air from the auxiliary chamber 8 and the main chamber 3 into the drain. When the handle l is pulled upwardly the walls of the dome and the fold are distorted upwardly which not only creates a suction in the interior 3 of the dome, but creates an additional suction in the chamber 8 as the walls of the fold 'l are pulled apart in an upward direction. It will thus be seen that we create a multiple vacuum or suction by forming the body A with the auxiliary chamber 8 of variable capacity.

Having described our invention, what we claim 1. A valveless drain cleaning plunger comprising a shell formed of self-sustaining flexible walls 40 and having an opening at one end communicating with the hollow interior thereof. said walls formed with an integral continuous lateral fold to provide an auxiliary variable capacity chamber in the interior of the shell, and integral means on the shell for connecting a handle to the shell whereby pumping action may be produced when the open end of the shell is placed over the drain opening to be cleaned.

2. A valveless drain cleaning plunger comprising a self-sustaining flexible dome adapted to be placed over the drain to be cleaned, a continuous lateral integral fold about the dome providing an auxiliary variable capacity chamber in communication with the interior of the dome, and inte- 5 ing a self-sustaining rubber dome adapted to fit about the drain to be cleaned, said dome being equipped with a self-sustaining integral deformation in the Walls thereof forming an auxiliary vacuum chamber in communication with the interior of the dome, said auxiliary chamber having the property of expanding above its inherent capacity, and means carried by the dome to attach a handle for compressing the dome and expanding the vacuum chamber.

JAMES M. HINKLE. DUANE OWENS. 

